Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in regards to application # 18/837,263 that was filed on 08/09/2024. Claims 1-11 are currently pending and are under examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2)as being anticipated by Dussan et al. (US 2020/0341146).
Regarding claim 1, Dussan discloses a measurement apparatus (Fig. 1A, para. [0031]) comprising:
a light emitting unit (102) configured to emit measurement light (110) toward a measurement area (Fig. 1A, para. [0031]);
a first light receiving unit (104)configured to receive reflected light from the measurement area(Fig. 1A, para. [0031]);
a control unit (108)configured to control the light emitting unit (102) and the first light receiving unit(104) and calculate a distance to an object in the measurement area based on a light receiving result of the first light receiving unit (Fig. 1A, para. [0032], [0034]);
and a second light receiving unit (106)configured to receive, among pieces of light from the measurement area, light having a wavelength different from that of the measurement light (background light)(Fig. 1A, para. [0036]).
Regarding claim 2, Dussan discloses a measurement apparatus (Fig. 1A, para. [0031]) wherein the control unit is configured to calculate the distance based on a light receiving result of the second light receiving unit (para. [0045]).
Regarding claim 3, Dussan discloses a measurement apparatus (Fig. 1A, para. [0031]) wherein the control unit is configured to: set an intensity (implied by lowering or increasing the pulse amplitude, para. [0045], step (122)) of the measurement light emitted from the light emitting unit based on the light receiving result of the second light receiving unit; and calculate the distance based on the light receiving result of the first light receiving unit in response to emission of the measurement light having the intensity in accordance with the light receiving result of the second light receiving unit (Para. [0045]).
Regarding claim 6, Dussan discloses a measurement apparatus (Fig. 1A, para. [0031]) wherein the control unit is configured to determine presence or absence of an oncoming vehicle based on a light receiving result of the second light receiving unit (para. [0004], [0045], [0147]).
Regarding claim 10, Dussan discloses a measurement apparatus (Fig. 1A, para. [0031]) wherein the control unit is configured to detect approach of the oncoming vehicle based on a change in the light receiving result of the second light receiving unit(para. [0004], [0005] ‘…able to declare the presence of the unsafe approaching vehicle…’, [0045], [0147]).
Claim(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2)as being anticipated by Buettgen et al. (US 10,295,657).
Regarding claim 1, Buettgen discloses a measurement apparatus comprising:
a light emitting unit configured to emit measurement light toward a measurement area (light emitter 106, abstract, col. 4, lines 1-20);
a first light receiving unit configured to receive reflected light from the measurement area(active demodulation detection pixels 124, Fig. 1; abstract, col. 1 lines 25-40, col. 4, lines 63-67));
a control unit configured to control the light emitting unit and the first light receiving unit and calculate a distance to an object in the measurement area based on a light receiving result of the first light receiving unit (processing circuitry controls the emitter and TOF sensor and determines distance/proximity from phase information, abstract, col. 1 ,lines 22-36; col. 5, lines 1-22; 404, Fig. 5);
and a second light receiving unit configured to receive, among pieces of light from the measurement area, light having a wavelength different from that of the measurement light (spurious-reflection/ambient detection pixels 126 that receive light of a second particular wavelength different from the measurement wavelength, abstract, col. 6, lines 32-50. 940nm (first) and 660nm (second), Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 2, Buettgen discloses a measurement apparatus wherein the control unit is configured to calculate the distance based on a light receiving result of the second light receiving unit (the active modulation pixels and the spurious reflection detection pixels are operable to generate distance or proximity data; the computational device uses amplitude data from both the first and second particular wavelengths in overall system operation that yields distance/proximity results; abstract, col. 3, line 25-67).
Regarding claim 3, Buettgen discloses a measurement apparatus wherein the control unit is configured to: set an intensity of the measurement light emitted from the light emitting unit based on the light receiving result of the second light receiving unit (computational device determines an ambient lighting condition from the amplitude data of the second particular wavelength (and first) and is operable to modify a component of the TOF based system based on the determined ambient lighting conditions, Fig. 5-7; col. 7, lines 13-60) and calculate the distance based on the light receiving result of the first light receiving unit in response to emission of the measurement light having the intensity in accordance with the light receiving result of the second light receiving unit (Buettgen discloses ambient-based system modification; Fig. 5-7; col. 7, lines 37-60).
Regarding claim 4, Buettgen discloses a measurement apparatus wherein the control unit is configured to: determine an integration number of times based on the light receiving result of the second light receiving unit (ambient-based modification of ToF operation includes adjusting the number of integration cycles/exposure time. Ambient Lighting condition is determined from the second wavelength amplitude data and use to modify system operation; Fig. 5-7, col. 7, lines 1-60); cause the first light receiving unit to receive the reflected light at the determined integration number of times (the active demodulation pixels perform the ToF integration/accumulation under the ambient condition control); and calculate the distance based on the light receiving result of the first light receiving unit in accordance with the integration number of times (standard ToF distance calculation from integrated first-receiver data, abstract, col. 1, lines 25-36) .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Buettgen et al. (US 10,295,657) in view of Dutton et al. (US 2018/0123611).
Regarding claim 5, Buettgen discloses a measurement apparatus of claim 2 and ToF sensor comprising a plurality of light receiving elements (array of active demodulation detection pixels 124 col. 4, lines 1-30, Fig. 1).
Dutton teaches a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD)-based light receiving (para. [0023], Fig. 1) comprising:
an addition unit configured to add outputs of the plurality of light receiving elements (SPAD array outputs are combined/synchronized, 102, Fig. 1); a comparison unit configured to compare an addition result of the addition unit with a threshold (140/144, Fig. 5); a histogram generation unit configured to generate a histogram based on a comparison result of the comparison unit (200/210/212; Fig. 7); and a time detection unit configured to detect an arrival time of light based on a peak of the histogram (explicit generation of histogram from SPAD events, comparison to thresholds, and use of histogram data for signal recovery/timing), and wherein the control unit is configured to set the threshold based on the light receiving result of the second light receiving unit (dynamic thresholds determined from ambient light analysis of the SPAD data stream and fed back for comparison, para. [0042],[0048]-[0049], [0057], Fig. 5-7).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the first light receiving unit and control unit of Buettgen’s TOF apparatus using the SPAD array, addition, ambient-adapted threshold comparison, histogram, generation, and peak based time of arrival detection taught by Dutton with reasonable expectation of success in order to output decoded output signal as well as improve signal to noise ratio. Both references address optical ranging/ToF systems that must operate under variable ambient light; combining them yields a predictable results a robust multi-element first receiver whose histogram threshold is set by the second (different wavelength) ambient channel already present in Buettgen.
Claim(s) 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dussan et al. (US 2020/0341146) in view of Stam et al. (US 6,774,988).
Regarding Claim 7, Dussan discloses a measurement apparatus comprising a light emitting unit, first light receiving unit that receives reflected measurement light for distance calculation, a control unit, and a second light receiving unit that receives light of a different wavelength (ambient/background light) from the measurement area (Fig. 1A, 1B, 2, para. ][0031]-[0034], [0039]). Dussan further discloses a vehicle application including detecting relating to approaching or oncoming vehicles and closing distances. Dussan do not explicitly disclose, but Stam teaches measuring brightness in multiple spectral bands and using relative brightness/color information(peak/dominant wavelength identification and multi-band filtering, including red/green/blue patterns) to distinguish oncoming vehicle headlights (abstract, Fig. 8, col. 15, lines 3-24, col. 8, lines 6-40; claims 3-4, 91-12, and 39-41).
It would have been obvious to implement the multi-band brightness comparison of Stam as intensity ratio of a blue (~465 nm)channel to a yellow (~560 nm) channel with the second light receiving unit of Dussan for detection and categorization exterior light in vehicles. Forming a ratio of intensities across spectral bands is conventional, predictable technique for color/wavelength classification of vehicle lights, selecting the blue and yellow regions is a routine choice within the visible spectrum already disclosed in the Stam. The combination of Dussan and Stam yields the exact intensity ratio limitation of claim 7 with reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding Claim 8, Dussan discloses a measurement apparatus comprising a light receiving/background sensing channel whose results are used by a control unit (abstract, para. [0008]). Dussan do not explicitly disclose, but Stam teaches supplying multi-band spectral filtering and brightness measurement across spectral bands (including red/green/blue patterns) together with peak wavelength identification to classify oncoming headlights (abstract, Fig. 8, col. 15, lines 3-24, col. 8, lines 6-40; claims 3-4, 91-12, and 39-41). Claim 8 is obvious for the same reason and the same motivation already indicated for claim 7.
Regarding Claim 9, Dussan do not explicitly disclose, but Stam teaches continuous spectral classification of light sources (including oncoming headlights) based on brightness and multi-bans spectral information (abstract claims 9-12). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to monitor temporal changes in the multi-band (blue/yellow) light receiving results produced in the combination in claim 7. Both references operate in a dynamic vehicle environment in which the intensity and spectral signature of the light sources changes as the vehicle approach. Using the existing second channel sensing results to detect such a change, and whereby to detect the oncoming vehicle is nothing more than a predictable application of unknown temporal monitoring to improve spectral classification channel. The hardware and the control architecture needed to changes in successive light receiving results already exist in Dussan, and adding the spectral discrimination of Stam does not alter the architecture.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dussan et al. (US 2020/0341146) in view of Ooyabu (US 2015/0083921).
Regarding Claim 11, Dussan do not explicitly disclose, but Ooyabu teaches a measurement apparatus that transmits infrared light and detects distance to another vehicle based on the received reflected infrared light received a strength detection process that measures the infrared strength/intensity of the received signal from the other vehicle(a secondary light receiving result). Use of both the measured distance and the received strength together to calculate an adjustment amount, which is then used for control(a strength adjustment of the transmitter signal)(para. [0015], [0017]), Fig. 7). Dussan already discloses a dual channel ladar/ToF architecture that measures background/ambient light levels from prior returns and adapts a system parameter on the basis of those levels and explicit discussion of vehicle applications and closing distances with approaching vehicles. Ooyabu supplies the missing explicit comparison/joint use of a change/difference involving the distance value and a secondary light receiving result for approach related control.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the control unit disclosed in Dussan with the compare a change in distance calculated based on the light receiving results of the first as well as second light receiving results taught in Ooyabu with a reasonable expectation of success because it provide a robust and reliable detection of approaching vehicles under varying optical conditions.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Dwivedi (US 2012/0287276)(submitted on IDS dated 08/09/2024) discloses a night-time rear collision warning system that includes a camera and a controller. The system identifies a bright spot corresponding to a light source present in the field of view of the camera, determines if the bright spot corresponds to headlights of an approaching vehicle, and determines if a collision is likely. The headlights of a distant approaching vehicle may appear as a single bright spot and so the bright spot is classified as a fused spot. By analyzing bright spots from headlights, the system is able to operate at night when no other information regarding the size or shape of the approaching vehicle is available.
Pala (US 2012/0044093) (Submitted on IDS dated 06/06/2025) discloses an object detection system of a vehicle includes a time-of-flight (TOF) sensor that receives a reflected object detection signal at a second time based on an object detection signal transmitted at a first time. An image sensor generates an image signal including an image of a detected object. The image sensor is distinct from and adjacent to the TOF sensor. A TOF control module generates distance data based on the first time and the second time and determines whether at least a portion of a detected object is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle. An image control module generates image data based on the image signal. A detection control module correlates the distance data with the image data to generate a warning indicator when at least a portion of the detected object is within the predetermined distance of the vehicle.
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Assres H. Woldemaryam
Primary Examiner (Aeronautics and Astronautics)
Art Unit 3642
/ASSRES H WOLDEMARYAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3642
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